REPORT: First Ever INFJ Scandinavian Basenoters Meetup

After a few weeks of careful planning, last Thursday, Swedish member Noalick and Danish members Mira187 and myself converged upon the city of Malmö in Southern Sweden for the first ever Scaninavian BN meetup!

With Sweden's 3rd largest city lying just 25 minutes by train from the Danish capital, Copenhagen, we saw Malmö as a fitting destination to meet one another and wander through the streets to explore the boutiques and perfumeries. As Mira187 and I stepped off the train in Malmö, we were greeted by a typically Scandinavian winter landscape, and healthy drift of snow as the temperature sat several degrees below freezing.
Moments later, we discovered Noalick at the terminal and made our cheerful introductions. At last this band of INFJs had finally come together!

Noalick stepped up and took us to explore the wilds of his hometown (but not before a hot coffee was enjoyed to get the engines humming)! We wandered through the city that had been dusted with snow in a fairytale-like manner. Malmö was beautiful, studded with frosted parks, charming spires and tree-lined streets filled with seventeenth-century Scandinavian buildings. But with the winter chill reaching up under our coats we relented and moved indoors to sample different scents around the town.

Noalick and I cast our eyes over the typically mainstream releases on offer in Hansa Compagniet where Noalick encouraged me for the first time to compare Dior Homme and Homme Intense back to back. He was wise to point out the slightly more gourmand aspect of the Intense, which I could certainly detect. We strolled around helping ourselves to spray cards and spritzes, although we felt the SA a little anxious that we were doing so well without her assistance. Meanwhile, Mira187 (somewhat distracted at this point looking at hair-care products) rejoined the party and we moved on to the Swedish beauty franchise called Kicks.

With more mainstream releases on offer, Noalick and I discussed Fleur du Male and it's composition, and how it is comparable to Molinard PH II... perhaps it even acted as Monsieur Gaultier's or Monsieur Kurkdjian's inspiration for this scent...
Mira187 walked through the ladies scents and sampled Agent Provocateur's latest offering Strip in the hope that it followed suit with the scented Strip candle, released several years ago. Though the similarities were there... no bueno.

A little later it was on to Matas - a Scandinavian pharmacy/beauty chain. Here we swooped upon the sales tables where 50% savings were on offer, but found no "must-haves" amongst the J-lo bodylotions and Gant deo sticks. Noalick and I were, however, rather shocked by the reduced price on Kenzo Power coffrets containing 75ml edt and deo at what we felt was a VERY reasonable $34. Had we not each already owned a bottle, we would probably have snatched them up in a heartbeat.

After leaving Matas, we wandered the streets a little more, taking some photos and talking. We turned a corner and I spotted an Yves Rocher boutique. Inside we explored both the man's and women's perfume catalogue and were taken by the extensive range on offer and diversity of scents. Mira187 was very taken by the delightful Tendre Jasmin edp 15ml purse spray and several scented shower creams: Florida Orange (much in the same strain as Hermés' Aroma d'Orange Verte shower gel), and African Cocoa Bean - a mouth-watering blend of rich coca much like that found in the heart of Mugler's Angel. At last! A purchase was made!

Time for lunch... we stopped at a lovely food court suspended over a mall for a delicious pasta meal and salad where we exchanged stories and laughter. I gave Noalick samples of Black Orchid and Bronze Goddess, and a charming 3ml miniature of Cacharel's discontinued Nemo that I stumbled upon one week earlier quite by accident, knowing very well it was his signature scent. In return, Noalick gave Mira187 and I Swedish sweets that were local delicacies that we both salivated over and put aside for later.

We decided to walk off our lunch with a visit to a second Kicks store, and then on to one of Swedens most well-known department stores - Åhlens. Mira187 in hot pursuit of a flattening iron left us boys to peruse the perfumes on the ground floor. Here, we combed each installation thoroughly, spritzing and sniffing and exchanging cards. Amongst the usual mainstream releases I was shocked to find several of Jean-Charles Brosseau's "Ombre" line... something I felt rather niche and out of place amongst the bottles of SJP Covet and Versace Woman. Noalick introduced my nose to some Sonia Rykiel scents, whilst I introduced his to Kenzo Jungle for women - one of my personal faves. After a light puff on my wrist, the three of us commented long after leaving the store that Jungle indeed had some titanic sillage!

After putting our noses through the door of a few minor shops with a couple of scents, we found ourselves outside Zara - a destination we had all been looking forward to for the better part of the day. I was keen to introduce Noalick to their Perfumed Water range. The three of us sniffed Sandalo, Vetiver and Ambar from the men's line and Noalick was very taken with Ambar. To our delight, we saw it was heavily reduced too! Noalick and I both purchased 200ml each for a mere $14.70! not to be outdone by the boys, Mira187 was equally as delighted to discover the 200ml bottles of Flor de Azahar (Orange Blossom) and Rosa Bulgara in the ladies section also marked down. As a devout wearer of Chloé 2008 as her signature rose, Mira187 purchased only the 200ml Orange Blossom water for even less than the fellas... a mere $11.30! We left the store satisfied with our purchases, and slowly made a bee line for another coffeeshop. With daylight fading and time dwindling, we enjoyed a latte and looked through our purchases. They were few, but they were solid, and we were pleased as punch.

Once we had drained our cups, Noalick took the two of us on a brief drive through Malmö to see the castle, shoreline and towering "twisted torso" apartment development before dropping us at the train station for our return trip home to Denmark. We exchanged goodbyes and waved at one another through frosted glass windows cheerily. It was a day enjoyed by all, and we are resolute to meet again. Perhaps next time: Copenhagen. Stay tuned!

Re: REPORT: First Ever INFJ Scandinavian Basenoters Meetup

Very interesting Dimitri....Thanks for sharing it with all of us here....I think this just goes to show how strangers that meet up on a board can band together and have loads of fun.....the pics are awesome particularly Mira's pic up there (the one without her nose) is beautiful

Re: REPORT: First Ever INFJ Scandinavian Basenoters Meetup

Great to hear Dimitri. You INFJs get along well with each other?
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I wonder if one is organized here in Oz - I think from my impression it's going to be mostly guys, hence in our local lingo, it's going to be a Sausage-Party. :P

Re: REPORT: First Ever INFJ Scandinavian Basenoters Meetup

I was lucky enough to spend about 2 hours in Malmö during a business trip to Copenhagen a few years ago. It seemed very nice. I would have liked to have spent more time there. (The weather reminded me a lot of New England, where I am originally from.)

Re: REPORT: First Ever INFJ Scandinavian Basenoters Meetup

Great Post, Dimitri; looks like you had a ton of fun. I'm also very envious that you Europeans can turn a day trip into an international journey. Living 'smack dab' in the middle of the U.S., I have to travel nearly a thousand miles just to reach a change in scenery, let alone a foreign country.

p.s. So, it's true that all Scandanavians are young and good looking!

Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not his own facts. Daniel Moynihan

Re: REPORT: First Ever INFJ Scandinavian Basenoters Meetup

What a beautiful and detailed summary, Dimitri, in true INFJ spirit indeed! I am glad that we got all those wonderful memories to take home with us.

Not to break any illusions about the Scandinavian snow landscape, polar bears or not, but usually it is pretty gray and rainy in the southern parts of Sweden, even in February. However, on this particular Thursday the sky decided to drop fantasticly large and light snowflakes on us, and I was pleased to welcome Dimitri and Mira to my hometown when it was swept in a white blanket. Everyone also agreed that seeing a city you are very familiar with through others eyes can be a completely new and uplifting experience, as it was for me.

As Dimitri said, I became very fond of Zara’sAmbar. I was focused on Vetiver when we came there but, even though it was also very good, I decided that Ambar would have an easier job finding a unique place in my wardrobe. If you have a Zara store near you, I really recommend you to try their lineup, not only for the prices and the gorgeous bottles and packaging.

With such knowledgeable and enthusiastic friends as Dimitri and Mira around, I allready look forward to our next scent-trip togheter, but then in Copenhagen, where I am eagerly awating to try Vanille Galante from the local Hermés store and much, much more!

Originally Posted by pelle

I want to join in next time! Ascella is right about the north aspect... (But I think Copenhagen is better fragrance wise.)

I think you’re very right about that, why I’m saying; get yer butts down here instead!

Originally Posted by Snafoo

Great Post, Dimitri; looks like you had a ton of fun. I'm also very envious that you Europeans can turn a day trip into an international journey. Living 'smack dab' in the middle of the U.S., I have to travel nearly a thousand miles just to reach a change in scenery, let alone a foreign country.

p.s. So, it's true that all Scandanavians are young and good looking!

I hear you, Snafoo. Living in a city like Malmoe, like I do, it is very easy to access central parts of Europe and big cities like Berlin, Copenhagen and so on. It takes 20 minutes to cross the bridge from Copenhagen to Malmoe for instance, and even with such a short distance there are many cultural differencies (Dimitri can tell you more about those ).

Last edited by Noalick; 4th January 2010 at 07:12 PM.

"- Harry, I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange."